Voice of the people (letter).

Ukraine's Defense

July 11, 1993|By John A. Skocilich.

WESTMONT — After hundreds of years, Ukraine finally gained independence from Russia. Its nuclear weapons and delivery system might be the only things that allow Ukraine to maintain its independence in the future.

Should it relinquish those weapons in exchange for guarantees from the U.S. and Europe? Before it does, it needs to take a long, hard look at how those countries responded to the Serbian invasion of Croatia, then Bosnia and Herzegovina. Then the answer will be obvious: Keep the weapons and to hell with meaningless guarantees.

Ukraine's leaders would have to be insane to come to any other conclusion. In a world where survival of the fittest is the rule, other nations will, and justifiably should, come to the same conclusion.